§• Insights from the Past •§

[Airtia S. Cauthon]

[As I'm working on De'Ryanna's story, I came across this old post of mine from when Airtia was in the Society of the Blood Rose.  Written back in July of 2002 it holds relevance to events of today...  So, here it is and, as much as I wanted to edit it, I haven't. ]


Airtia had slipped away from the people of the Society during the night.  She traveled soundlessly through the brush, keeping her eyes and ears alert for any hint of someone’s approach.  She needed time to be alone.  Not time locked up in her rooms away from everyone, pouring over piles of paperwork that nestled upon her desk until her eyes hurt and the words blurred.  She needed to be alone, left with nothing but her thoughts to keep her company.

She had arrived in a small clearing of trees, a little ways from the Society grounds and took her refuge, sitting on the ground, her legs folded under her, and palms resting upon the ground.  She felt dizzy and sighed bringing a hand to her forehead.  Her head felt hot, warmer than usual.  No, it couldn’t be that, she was just hot that’s all.

Removing her hand she took a few deep breaths as a wave of dizziness rushed over her and she closed her eyes to keep from getting swept away.  What was wrong with her?  She never got sick before, didn’t think she could get sick, but something defiantly was happening inside of her, something that may not be welcomed.  Then she realized it.  She had a fire burning inside of her, a fire that was churning around in the pit of her stomach.

It’s the magic! Silver eyes widened with the realization of what it was.

Ever since that day her crystal broke there had been an imbalance within herself.  She had released a portion of her power that day, power she had not released in years.  Now it refused to be put aside easily.  It was like a living thing with a mind of its own and like all living things it had to be tamed.

A hand went down and rested against her stomach as if doing so could quench the fires within.  Airtia sat up straight and began to rise, feeling the need to walk around, but she only got halfway up when a sharp pain, like something was ripping apart at her insides, wrecked through her body causing her to falter and drop again to her knees, doubling over in the pain that threatened to engulf her.

It took a few moments for Airtia to fight back the pain and pull herself into a sitting position.  The fire inside grew more intense, sweat started to bead on her forehead and a throbbing sensation spouted from her right wrist.  She looked to the leather strapping that wound around her wrist and removed it and the throbbing subsided.  The lines of the tattoo, a lightening bolt surrounded by a cage of fire, were etched in dark red - blood, that arose from her arm.

Her vision blurred then and she shook her head to clear it.  I must stay focused!

In her mind a dark pair of eyes appeared and heard a voice whisper her name.  It was that voice again.  Tired.  She suddenly felt very tired, and hot.  The fire inside of her transformed into a blazing inferno about to explode...  No!  No she wouldn’t give in to what she was feeling.  She had responsibilities, duties and obligations...but what about the obligations to herself?

In the dark recesses of her mind voices started to churn and words etched there way to her lips.  Once more Airtia placed her hands on the ground before her, head bowed, dark red hair draping across the sides of her face.  The silver eyes closed and she steadied her breathing and began to draw on the energy inside of her.  

Just then the wind started to pick up in the little clearing where she knelt, dust devils rose up around her before scurrying off, the hair played freely in the wind’s current.  Suddenly things went still, no sound was heard in the clearing, as if that section was devoid of all life.

“Airtia” a harsh voice rose up from the stillness, soft yet hard enough make the skin crawl.  “You were mine since you gave yourself up to me.  You shall be mine until you die.”

“Ne’er again...”  But even as she said those words she knew it would be a long fight till she was free.

The fire flared inside her, causing her to grip her stomach, trying in vain to fight against it.  This was not a fight that Airtia would win.  The fire flared and in a second she was emerged  in a red light that covered her from head to toe and shot up high into the air.  She heard herself scream then everything went dark as she lay on the ground, unconscious till the time of her awakening.